Conspirator's Facade
by HawkPen
Summary: Hollyleaf is taken to StarClan. She is the Clan's last hope as the cat of prophecy to destory the conspiracy undermining the Clans. How can she save the world she left and no longer loves?


**As Hollyleaf dies, an unfriendly face takes her to StarClan. Down below, a forest is in chaos. Assassinations and lies ensnare the Clans in a dark web. A traitor is conspiring to rule the Clans. The only cat that can save the forest is Hollyleaf. How can she save the world she left and no longer loves?**

**Conspirator's Façade**

Prologue

Hollyleaf couldn't breathe. The dirt firmly packed around her body, refusing to allow any air to flow through her body. The hard ground around her began to squeeze and crush her, her body pressing together. Blood spilled from her body onto the dirt. It felt like fire, burning through her body and crushing her lungs. The burning pain was horrible, sure, but it was all worth it. She knew she couldn't face her Clanmates if she went back. Death was a much better option. Death was an escape. What would she do if she survived? She could never go back. Not after what she had done. It was too late to turn back. _I was meant to die._

As her heart stopped beating and her body gave up on life, faces of old cats appeared to her. The black she-cat's green eyes glared at the cat that appeared in front of her. "Ashfur," she croaked, her lungs continuing to fail every second. _I was meant to die._

"Hollyleaf. You need to come with me," Ashfur meowed.

"No! I will not go to the Place of No Stars! I won't go to StarClan!" Hollyleaf yowled. _I was meant to die._

"You were meant to die," Ashfur stated, as if confirming Hollyleaf's nightmares. "There isn't much time! Get up and run!"

Resentment burned in the she-cats eyes. How could she trust the cat she had gone through all the trouble to kill? "Why should I trust you?"

"You killed me. I deserved to die, I agree. But not for your reasons. You had all the wrong reasons," Ashfur meowed.

"You're going to lecture me on murder?" Hollyleaf yowled in disbelief. Ashfur refused to wait for an answer. The whole world around the two cats was beginning to darken.

"We don't have any time. I'll take you by force if I have to! You still have a prophecy to fulfill!" Ashfur yowled.

_But how can I fulfill a prophecy if I'm dead? I was meant to die._ Hollyleaf reluctantly began to follow the cat into a dark, empty abyss, rising from the dirt to the unknown.

---

"Hollyleaf!" Jayfeather screeched. He saw her dark shape running into the tunnel, refusing to return to her home. In one instant, the black shape had disappeared. The sight of her was replaced with the sight of a collapsing tunnel and the rumbling of the ground. The ground fell and shook in front of him.

"Jayfeather," Hollyleaf's smooth voice whispered.

"I don't understand!" Jayfeather whispered back. "Why, Hollyleaf?"

"Jayfeather?" Hollyleaf's voice changed from soothing to questioning. "Jayfeather, wake up, you lazy lump of fur!" The rumbling feeling became stronger. Jayfeather's vision began to fade to black. The medicine cat was awake.

"Leafpool?" Jayfeather asked. "What do you want?"

"I came to see my son. I wanted to make sure you were okay," she answered. "If you need some chamomile, you know where it is. And I'll always be around."

"I just don't understand," Jayfeather grumbled, trying to be nice. He knew that Hollyleaf's death wasn't any easier on Leafpool. Hollyleaf had been his sister, but she was also Leafpool's daughter.

"Don't understand what?" Leafpool asked.

"Just… life," Jayfeather meowed.

"You're not alone," Leafpool muttered.

"Why did she have to die? We were cats of prophecy! Was StarClan wrong?" Jayfeather asked his mother.

"I don't know. It seems our warrior ancestors have been more distant than ever. Kin of Firestar's kin... is there no other explanation?" Leafpool asked.

"I don't understand!" Jayfeather whispered.

"Oh, son! Whitewing! Dovekit and Ivykit! One of them must be the third cat!" Leafpool inferred.

"But what if Squirrelflight and Brambleclaw have a kit? That would fit the criteria too! We just don't know! One of Whitewing's _could_ be the one, but we can't guarantee it!" Jayfeather growled. "I don't understand! I don't get it!"

"I know. It's okay, son," Leafpool mewed quietly.

"What was that?" Jayfeather asked.

"What was what?" Leafpool asked.

"That! What you said! I know what you meant," Jayfeather growled.

"What _do_ you mean?" Leafpool asked.

"You're hiding something. I can _feel_ it," Jayfeather whispered.

"It seems everyone is. Nobody's honest with anybody anymore."

"Jayfeather?" A new voice sounded from the entrance of the medicine cat den. The medicine cat looked toward the entrance to see a small kit crouched there.

"Dovekit? What do you need?" Jayfeather asked, trying to sound patient and gentle.

"I have a sore throat. It's a little hard to breathe," Dovekit whined.

"It's okay, it's okay. You'll probably start coughing, so I'm going to give you a little tansy for it," Jayfeather meowed.

"I'd better get back," Leafpool meowed. "It'll be morning soon, and I want to be ready when Firestar comes to talk to me."

"All right. Goodbye, Leafpool," Jayfeather whispered after her, glad that she had left. Then, he turned his head back to Dovekit. "Now then, let's get you some tansy." She didn't respond. "Dovekit? Dovekit? Dovekit!"

"Jay…feather…" Her meow was weak. She whimpered the last phrase. Her breathing was heavy. Jayfeather went frantic. He ran into the stores and grabbed some tansy, preparing to administer it. He placed it in front of her muzzle and ordered her to chew. She did not.

"Dovekit, you've gotta chew this! It'll make you feel better!" Jayfeather yowled, frantically. The young kit's breathing was very quiet now. _Dovekit, you've got to live!_ Dovekit didn't wish to fulfill Jayfeather's request. He pressed his head against her chest. Nothing. The young kit was dead hours after being born.

_Ivykit._

"Ivykit is not called by us, but she will never be what you want her to be," a voice whispered to Jayfeather.

"Yellowfang? I don't understand!" Jayfeather whispered, trying to find Yellowfang. Her scent hung in the air, but she wasn't in the camp. _I want her to be the third cat. Why can't she be? Why does everything have to be so complicated? I don't understand!_

---

"Why have you brought me _here_?" Hollyleaf yowled in disgust. She launched herself at Ashfur, claws outstretched. Cats fell upon Hollyleaf to restrain her.

"There will be none of that here," yowled a cat. Hollyleaf looked to see a blue-gray she-cat standing on front of her. Hollyleaf dipped her head in greeting.

"Bluestar." Hollyleaf whispered the name.

"Welcome, Hollyleaf," Bluestar meowed. "Get off her. If she even tries, I'll take her down."

_I doubt it._ Hollyleaf took to the air, leaping over Bluestar. The former ThunderClan leader wasted no time and jumped straight up. Her head impacted right into Hollyleaf's ribcage. Hollyleaf landed off balance, and Bluestar pinned her down with claws outstretched.

"Too slow," Bluestar whispered.

"Why did I come _here?_" Hollyleaf yowled in disgust.

"Would you rather prowl the Place of No Stars? Would you rather fend for yourself? You have a lot of work to do, Hollyleaf, and you're not going to get out of it. We don't have much time. Come with me." Bluestar prowled off. Ashfur and Hollyleaf followed obediently, resisting the urge to claw each other to pieces.


End file.
